WORDS WITNESSED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT 1

One of the benefits of the experienced years of our lives is that we seem to retain long term memory better than short term. Therefore, I can recall that one of the classes I took at what was then called Santa Ana Junior College the first semester after returning from my time as a missionary in the Northern Mexico, Mission, was a speech class. I even remember the content of some of the speeches I had to present during that class along with several of the statements the teacher gave during his lectures.

The words which came back to me as I was reading chapter 5 in the Book of Alma in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ went something like: ‘Don’t be so naïve as to believe a single speech can cause people or nations to make dramatic changes.’ As I reflect back on that experience I am convinced that had he had greater understanding the speech teacher might have added something about speeches unaided by the witness whispered by the Holy Spirit do not have the power to cause a people or nation to make dramatic changes.

It becomes immediately apparent that the sermon Alma gave to the people of Zarahemla was one of those Holy Spirit witnessing experiences, since we note the following in the heading of chapter 6 of his book which seemed to come about because of the people of Zarahemla hearkening to a single speech.

The Church in Zarahemla is cleansed and set in order.

Because this was not just another speech, but a speech which demonstrates the power of the word when it is inspired, delivered and hearkened to under the influence of the whispering of the Holy Spirit, I will be spending the next few weeks writing Thoughts for a Sabbath Day based on this speech.

I will be adding many of my own thoughts and memories as I go through this chapter. My hope in doing so is not that you might come to know my struggles and successes in the battle for understanding and belief, but so that it might encourage the readers of these Thoughts to make an equal evaluation of how Alma’s Holy Spirit inspired words have meaning in your lives.

Alma 5

6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

I doubt I have paid a sufficient price in remembering the sacrifices of those whose roots have contributed so abundantly to my own life, but even the casual perusals I have made have aided me in knowing that most of the blessings I have enjoyed in life have come as a result of choices they made to a greater degree than those I have made.

My grandfather Earnest Albert Law, in the face of great opposition from his mother, denied the hand of the love of his youth and emigrated to the Americas, because he was moved upon by the Holy Spirit to accept the Restored gospel.

As I have briefly examined the family lines of the Riley’s, Talmage’s, Holbrook’s, Tonks and all the rest of those names which connect me to the human family chain, I am constantly left in awe of those who made the life altering choices necessary to make my own life as blessed as it has been.

I am also grateful that I have been spared of knowing what might have been, had they not made the sacrifices which resulted because of their hearkening to the word. I have thought about it enough to know that what they have given me is a blessing and a better path.

11 Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my father Alma believe them?

12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

All too often we believe so strongly in such principles as being self-made, pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps, independence, the captain of my ship and master of my soul that it becomes such a powerful part of us that we are reluctant to give allowance for some outside force influencing who we are in the process of becoming.

Yet, here we read Alma expressing that it was God who changed and wrought upon hearts the mighty change.

The words of Nephi quickly come to mind that it is by the grace of God that we are saved after all we can do.

We have received sufficient laws, commandments and beatitudes that it’s impossible to ignore the fact that the Lord indeed expects us to do our all, but we must also understand there are many things which can only come about because of the power and mercy of God. Along with the blessings wrought upon all of us because of the Creation of This World, The Plan of Exaltation, The Atonement of Jesus the Christ and many other Grace delivered blessing, it would be well for us to add The Mighty Change of Hearts to the list of blessings which can come upon us in and through the Grace of God.

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

Beginning with verse 14 Alma begins a series of questions which become a guide to examining the depth of our personal testimonies.

I have come to believe that just as the mighty change of our heart comes upon us because of a gift bestowed through the Grace of God, it is also logical that being spiritually born of God and receiving His image in our countenances come about because of all that we have done and our Heavenly Father views it as sufficient for His Grace to bestow these additional blessings. There is a strong possibility that all three phrases are a way of expressing that we have been sealed by The Holy Spirit of Promise and therefore, have become eligible to receive the fullness of the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus the Christ.

(To be Continued)


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY.